Games with a Purpose
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Agenda
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Why Games?
What is Learned?
Value of New Games
Preparation
Conducting the Game
Reflection
Examples
Resources
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Why Games?
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Lessons without teachers
Body builders
Mind stretchers
Friend makers
Building blocks
Plain old fun
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
What is Learned?
• New scout skills
• Dependence and independence
– Self-confidence
• Leadership & followership
• Social skills
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Follow the rules
Waiting turns
Getting along with others
Fair play
Respect for the rights of others
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Value of New Games
• Another planning, leading, and
communicating opportunity for the scouts
• Requires a scout to research, pre-plan,
organize, and eventually
explain/communicate the rules
• After playing, opportunity to reflect and
discuss the purpose, involvement,
interactions, communications, lessons,
values, benefits, etc.
• Integral to ILST
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Preparation
• Know and understand the game
• Prepare to teach the game
• Evaluate conditions
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Physical arrangement (hazards?)
Equipment needs
Number of participants
Ability of participants
• Gather required resources
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Conducting the Game
• Remove hazards
• Full attention before trying to explain the rules
• EDGE
– Explain, demonstrate, ask for questions
– Start the game
– Stop if going badly—explain again/guide/modify as required
• Insist on fair play
• Don’t overplay—more in demand if you stop while
still having fun
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Reflection
• Discuss the results and what can be learned
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Did you do your best?
Was anyone left out of the game?
Was anyone physically hurt?
Was anyone picked on?
How would you make the game different next time?
• ILST has a great series of thought provoking
questions that correspond to the lessons at
hand
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Examples
• Scout Skill Development
– Knot Tying Relay
– Land Lifesaving Relay
• Team Building
– Paper Fold
– Blanket Volleyball
• Communications
– Blindfold Compass Walk
– Silver Tongue Orator
• Physical and Mental Fitness
– Relay Tic-Tac-Toe
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Silver Tongue Orator
• Let scouts see how long each of them can
talk intelligently on a subject
• Pick a judge and timekeeper
• Box or stump for speaker to stand on
• Questions on flash card. Examples
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When did you do your last Good Turn?
Define Friendly.
What was your favorite merit badge?
Who was Baden Powell?
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Relay Tic Tac Toe
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
Resources
• Troop Program Features Volume I-III
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http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33110_WEB.pdf
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33111_WEB.pdf
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33112_WEB.pdf
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/Games.pdf
• http://www.boyscouttrail.com/boy-scouts/boy-scoutgames.asp
• http://www.macscouter.com/games/Games4BS.asp
• http://scoutmastercg.com/rediscovered-gamesscouts/
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!
• Troop Program
Features often
contain game
recommendations
that go in hand
with the monthly
themes
Questions?
If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen!